Chicago Dining

Mercat a la Planxa, Chicago, IL Cava — The Spanish Celebration Wine The holidays are upon us and my thoughts turn toward celebrations with friends and family at this time of year. And celebrations lead me to thinking about popping a bottle of bubbly to get the festivities started. Sparkling...

Mercat a la Planxa, Chicago, IL Vermouth. This is not an uncommon subject for us at Mercat; we’ve dedicated a couple of blogs to it, we serve more than 10 different vermouths, and we make it in house [tire screech]. That’s right; we age, fortify and blend our own vermouth!...

#BarcelonaBites Facebook Live Thursdays just got a whole lot better with our new Facebook live series, #BarcelonaBites! Every other Thursday at 5:15pm Chef Diego Amat and Chef David Murphy will host a Facebook live video demonstrating their favorite dishes and cooking techniques. On August 23 the inaugural #BarcelonaBites video...

“May I order a glass of sherry?” is not something you hear too often at a restaurant, especially in the summer. This August we are trying to change that. Starting on August 6th, Mercat a la Planxa is offering a supplemental three course menu paired with sherry. The shareable sherry...

The Happiest of Hours! Mercat’s new Bottle & Board Feature After work happy hour in the summer is something Chicagoans look forward to all year round. There’s nothing better than ending your day with a glass of wine paired with delicious food. Here at Mercat a la Planxa,...

Mercat a la Planxa, Chicago, IL How to Summer Mercat Style June is all about spending time outside and enjoying the beautiful summer city that Chicago is. Luckily, Mercat a la Planxa is right next to two of the best parks in the city, Millennium and Grant. There are numerous...

Spring in Chicago is all about new beginnings. Colorful flowers start to pop up on urban streets, natives begin putting their down coats in storage and the city starts to come alive again. So how is Mercat celebrating fresh new beginnings? With a brand new brunch menu, of course! The...

Mercat a la Planxa, Chicago, IL Tis the season for winter in the Windy City! With so many exciting things to do in the city, it’s easy to forget that it’s -4 degrees outside. Well, not really, but it is easy to distract yourself from it. Mercat a la...

With Thanksgiving happening this very week you would think we would be sharing something turkey-related or deliciously focused desserts, but I think we would be doing a disservice to you if we didn’t share one of our favorite menu items. Authentic Spanish “Coca”! It’s one of the most popular dishes in...

Chefs are prepping those paella pans! It’s that time of year again where local chefs and culinary crusaders will flex their competitive muscle for this paella smack down. Mercat a la Planxa is hosting the Fourth Annual Paella Cook Off on September 7th, 2017. The Most Valuable Paella (MVP) will...

Mercat a la Planxa, Chicago, IL Tasty Adventures at Farmers Markets Warm weather is palpable and here to stay as Chicago’s Farmers Markets reappear with organic honey, homemade hot chocolate and fresh fruits for the picking! We received plenty of April showers this spring, which has reaped beautiful flowers and...